Biodegradable bottle cap using pestalotiopsis microsporia to biodegrade waste plastic bottle

ABSTRACT

Millions of plastic water bottles going to waste and harming the environment. Recycling is an option, but hardly becoming a practice. Biodegradable bottle cap consisting of the plastic-eating fungus ‘pestalotiopsis microsporia’, will consumes the plastic bottle and the cap so no trace is left behind. The cap is made of plastic and the fungus is contained in an aluminium casing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Millions of plastic water bottles going to waste and harming theenvironment. Recycling is an option, but only 23% of Americans recycleplastic. Ooho drinking capsule was invented to solve this problem, butit is made of algae and therefore more fragile than plastic. Moreover,Ooho was to destroy the plastic industry and did not turn out to besuccessful. Biodegradable bottle cap using ‘pestalotiopsis microsporia’allows for the continued use of plastic without the plastic going towaste and harming environment.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Plastic bottle cap consisting of the plastic-eating fungus‘pestalotiopsis microsporia’ will be used to the reduction ofplastic-bottle waste generated after the use of the packaged drinkingwater bottles through biodegradation. The bottle is expected to bebiodegraded by plastic-eating fungus ‘pestalotiopsis microsporia’ in fewweeks' time instead of hundreds of years.

INVENTION SUMMARY

Biodegradable bottle cap is a water bottle cap containing the plasticeating fungus pestalotiopsis microsporia. When the consumer is donedrinking from the bottle, the cap has a tab that is pulled and this tabreleases the fungus. The fungus consumes the plastic bottle and the capso no trace is left behind. The cap is made of plastic and the fungus iscontained in an aluminium casing. Also contain in the casing is the safefood dye which will be colouring the water in case of accidental releaseor opening of the casing before the use of the drinking water. Suchwater colouring will be an indication to avoid using the water fordrinking though the fungus is safe after human galloping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the various sections of the top cover of the bottle cap.

FIG. 2 is the side view of the top part layers of the cap.

FIG. 3 is the outer shell of the biodegradable cap.

FIG. 4 is the outer shell of the cap as seen from above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the bottle cap's top cover and section 1 protects thecomponents of the cap and is made of plastic. Section 2 is the pull abletab, when it is pulled, it breaks the barrier separating the fungus andthe rest of the cap, causing the fungus to consume the plastic bottle.At the same time, the tab locks the bottle so it can no longer beopened, so when the consumer is done drinking the water, they need toput the cap back on in order for the fungus to consume the bottle.Section 3 is where the food coloring is stored. When the tab breaks itopen, the food coloring is released along with the fungi. Section 4 isthe space where the fungi are stored. It is in the aluminium casingbecause so that it cannot eat through the bottle early. When the tab ispulled the fungi is released with the food coloring. Section 5 is thealuminium casing. It contains both the fungi and the food coloring.Aluminium is environmentally friendly, so it will contain the fungiprior to release. Section 6 is the bottom level of the cap. It is madeof plastic and it can be opened by pulling the tab. This is the start ofthe process of the fungi's consumption of the bottle.

FIG. 2 is the top part layer of the cap where 1 is a protection for thetop of the cap and it biodegrades with the rest of the cap. 2 is thepull able tab that pulls out the aluminium that is supporting thefungus. Upon being pulled, the tab drops the fungus into the bottle. 3is the plastic shell of the aluminium compartment containing the fungiand the food coloring. 4 is the bottom layer of the cap. When the tab ispulled, it serves as a trapdoor for the fungus to be released into thebottle.

FIG. 3 is the outer shell of biodegradable cap. It is made of plasticwhich will biodegrade upon the fungi's release. 2 is the tab system.When the bottle use has finished, the tab will be pulled and it willlock into place and the bottle cannot open.

FIG. 4 is the outer shell as seen from above made of plastic. 2 is thelock system as seen from above. It is to lock the bottle in place afterthe fungus pestalotiopsis microsporia has been released. When the tab ispulled, it will lock in place so the bottle cannot open. 3 is the innershell made of aluminium and holds the fungus prior to their release. Itis of aluminium because it is not that bad for the environment and if itwere plastic, the fungus would eat through it too early.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To initiate the biodegradation of used plastic bottle havingbiodegradable bottle cap using ‘pestalotiopsis microsporia’ fixed on thebottle, all that is required is to pull the tab coming out of the bottlecap. When the tab is pulled, which is connected to the aluminium casingseparating the fungi from the bottle content, the tab will break thealuminium seal. The breaking of the seal after the bottle content beingused, releases the fungi into the bottle to biodegrade it.

In the case of accidental brokerage of the seal during the filled bottlecontent the red food coloring stored along with fungus will indicate thebrokerage as it will show the red color water after mixing with thecontent of the bottle. This will let people know that the water is notsafe to drink. The cap is round, the ideal shape of a cap, and is madeout of plastic from the outside. The bottle itself will be 22 cm tall,(being able to hold about 16.9 fluid ounces), with the plastic part ofthe cap having a diameter of approximately 2.5 centimetres and a heightof 2 centimetres.

Inside the cap, there will be an aluminium casing that contains theplastic-consuming fungi. This aluminium casing will have a diameter ofan estimated 2 centimetres and a height of 0.8 centimetres. The casingwill keep the fungi from consuming the plastic outer layer of the cap.The cap also consists of a tab, in which one of the ends will beattached to the base of the aluminium casing. Part of the tab willprotrude outside from the inside of the cap. When the tab is pulled, itwill break the bottom seal of the aluminium casing, allowing the fungito be released into the empty bottle for disposal. The fungi will fullyconsume the plastic within a matter of weeks. In the bottle, the cap is3 times as high with about the same diameter as an ordinary bottle cap,to be able to contain the fungi and food dye. The invention could alsohave different types of colors of food dye. It can also use othermaterials to case the fungi.

1. Plastic bottle cap consisting of the plastic-eating fungus‘pestalotiopsis microsporia’, kept in an aluminium or any other solidsubstance casing inside the cap to be released when the tab is pulled.2. In the same casing mentioned above, the semi-layer of food dye or anyother safe coloured liquid stored to be released when the tab is pulled.3. When the tab is pulled the fungi is released along with colored dyeand the metal solid clip locks the cap so that it cannot be used again.